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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27175930">I'm Here With You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/nalurealotp/pseuds/nalurealotp'>nalurealotp</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fairy Tail</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Canon Compliant, Drabble, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Oneshot, Post-Alvarez Teikoku | Alvarez Empire Arc, Short Drabble, Soft Natsu, soft lucy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 02:14:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,256</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27175930</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/nalurealotp/pseuds/nalurealotp</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lucy got anxiety after the war. She needed to see Natsu. Right now!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Natsu Dragneel/Lucy Heartfilia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>105</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I'm Here With You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lucy jolted up from her short nap, perspiration stuck on her face heavily. She couldn’t sleep, she wanted to, but she can’t. It was long past midnight. Her body was so tired after the long fight, after Alvarez and Zeref and Acnologia… she thought that she could finally get a good rest after it was all over. But whenever she attempted to close her eyes, her brain would playback the memories of the war. The times when they were suffering. The multiple times when she lost Natsu. Natsu. She quickly turned her gaze to her side but was surprised when something was missing. Supposedly, Natsu was sleeping by his side. She had brought him back to her apartment because the infirmary couldn’t hold too many injured people from the war. Natsu had slept after the war since the evening but he hadn’t wake up yet, so she brought him home, waiting for him to open his eyes. Porlyusica had told her that he was just taking his rest, but she couldn’t help but worry.</p><p>Lucy frantically flailed her hand to the spot that Natsu was sleeping on, he’s still here right? The sheets felt warm so he must have been here. He must have gone to the toilet or something. She quickly jumped out off her bed and walked to the bathroom door, the light inside was on. But when she placed her ear on the door, she heard nothing. Don’t tell me he isn’t here… her heart started to pick up a fast beat. Without a second thought, she opened the bathroom door and her anxiety rose. He wasn’t there! Where…where is he? I saved him, right? He is still alive, he’s still alive, he’s still alive. She repeated the mantra in her heart like a broken record. “Natsu?” She whispered loudly, wishing that her best friend would answer her, but there was none. Lucy stepped into the bathroom and started to look for him, every nook and cranny while calling for his name. He must be hiding or something. Tears brimmed in her eyes, she needed to see Natsu right now or else she couldn’t keep herself calm.  That was when suddenly, a loud thud was heard from her kitchen. She stood up straight.</p><p>She slowly moved towards the kitchen, afraid that they could be some thief or any dangerous thing. But what greeted her eyes made she released her breath that she didn’t realize she was holding on. There, in front of the fridge, the fire mage with wild pink hair was chomping on some biscuits that he found without a care to the world. Lucy leaned to the wall and let out a relieved sigh, causing Natsu to notice her.</p><p>“Lushee?? Shorry I wake you up, I’m just so hungry and need some food. Hehe..” He said with his full mouth and gave her a big grin. Lucy replied with a small smile. There’s her idiot friend again.</p><p>“It’s okay. I feel quite hungry too. Let me cook us ramen, I think there’s still some left...” she said with a raspy voice and walked to the cabinet to take out the ramen. Natsu was elated to hear that.</p><p>“Thank you Luceee. You are the bessstt” He then sat on one of the chairs from the dining table. Lucy waited for the ramen to boil on the stove, her back was turned to Natsu. She was still trembling slightly from the anxiety just now. Calm down, Lucy! Natsu is here. He’s right behind you and he was talking to you just now. She grabbed the edge of the kitchen altar to support her body. Little did she know, Natsu noticed that she was trembling. His face formed a frown, something was wrong. Without wasting a time, he stood up from his seat and walk towards the blonde.</p><p>Lucy was deep in her thought when suddenly a pair of warm arms enveloped her from the back. She flinched but relaxed quickly when she realized it was Natsu.</p><p>“Are you cold Lucy?” His husky voice sent vibration to her body. She put her hands on his arms that lingered around her waist.</p><p>“Mmhhmm..” She couldn’t help but sniffed her tears that started to spill out. She didn’t know why she was being super sensitive. Everything about him now made her wanna cry her eyes out. His voice, his warmth… him.</p><p>Hearing the sniffle and smelling salt in the air, Natsu instantly turned Lucy around to face him. He was anxious to see her crying and trembling, her eyes drooped low. “Hey hey, Luce.. don’t cry. What’s wrong?” He asked softly, his hands gripped her arms firmly.</p><p>Lucy looked up to meet his eyes. Now that she saw him clearly, she wanted to do nothing but hug him. Tightly. And never let go. Natsu was surprised by the sudden hug but was quick to steady both of them. He could feel his bandaged chest was wet with her tears now. His hand automatically patted her head gently, waiting for her to speak up to him.</p><p>“Your heart is beating..I could hear that. You are..alive..” Lucy said with her soft voice, along with loud sniffles. She buried her head inside his broad chest, feeling his thumping heart.</p><p>“Lucy..”</p><p>“I..I’m just afraid when I can’t see you. I’m afraid that you’ll be gone. I just need to reassure myself that you are still here.” Her cry started to decrease. Now that she could feel him, she could finally calm down.</p><p>Natsu continued to pat her back a few time before he distanced themselves a bit to look at her face. He gently brought up his hands to wipe her tears away, his warm hands cradling her small, flushed face. He then leaned closer to her and let their foreheads touched. Natsu knew what Lucy was feeling right now. How she witnessed him unconscious for multiple times, how he suddenly disappeared in front of her and the fact that he was actually END… it must have given her a trauma. And he knew it coz he too had witnessed her lying unconscious, thinking that she was dead. He didn’t want to experience it again. It broke his heart. And now, he also didn’t want to let go of Lucy. He wanted to always be beside her, living and adventuring with her.</p><p>“It’s okay, Lucy. I’m here with you. I won’t die… and I won’t ever leave you again. I promise.” He softly assured her; their eyes closed. He could feel that Lucy nodded upon hearing his calming voice.</p><p>“And Lucy… promise me that you won’t leave me either. That you won’t….die..” He swallowed the bile in his throat when the word came out.</p><p>Lucy opened her golden shiny eyes to meet his slanted one. With firmness, she answered him.  “I promise Natsu. As long as you are with me, I’m here with you. We’ll stay together forever.” They let out a small chuckle, finally relieved from the burden inside their hearts.</p><p>“Erm Lucy?” Natsu suddenly called her.</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“I think the ramen is overboiled.” He pointed to the stove awkwardly.</p><p>“Omaigadd!” Lucy gasped aloud and quickly turned around to switch off the stove. “Tchhh, why didn’t you tell me sooner?” she playfully scolded him. Natsu just laughed it off.</p><p>Right there and then, Lucy could feel the warmth slowly emanating her heart again, the warmth caused by the chuckling man beside her, and the warmth that was her love for him. She smiled. Contently.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>the idea was stuck in my head for such a long time. Finally, I could execute it! I hope you enjoy this little angst I write. Thank you for reading. Kudos and comments are highly appreciated especially if you notice grammatical errors (huhu my English is bad)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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